Metallic train-pipe connection.



No. 628,305 Patented July 4, I899. W. E. DOWNING.

METALLIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTION.

(Application flied Feb. 10, I899.\

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

WW name Mir THE Mom-us PEI'ERS c0 PuoTo-umu, wAsnmarou. u. c

(No Model.)

W. E. DOWNING.

Patented July 4, I899.

METALLIC TRAIN PIPE CONNECTION.

(Application filed Feb. 10, I899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM EDWARD DOVV-NING, OF DES PLAINES, ILLINOIS. I

METALLIC TRAIN-[PIPE CONNECTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,305, dated July 4, 1899.

Application filed February 10,1899. Serial No. 705,182. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, 'WILLIA EDWARD DOWNING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Plaines, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements; in' Metallic Train-Pipe Connections; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will en-- is to devise a metallic connection of simple and effective construction for supplanting the ordinary hose-pipe connection, the metallic connection embodying in its organization a system of longitudinal, horizontal, and vertical pipe-sections connected in series by swivelcouplings in such a manner as to accommodate the various movements of the proximal ends of adjacent cars when the train is in motion. 5

A further purpose of the invention is the provision of a swivel-coupling which will have.

its members or parts locked against accidental displacement and which will be capable of adjustment to compensate for Wear, so as to preserve a tight joint, andwhich can be easily and quickly separated when it is required-to disconnect the parts coupled thereby.

For afull understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention reference is to be hadto the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side View of the connection, showing it operatively applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3' is a side elevation of the swivel-coupling., Fig. 4 is a longitudinal secin all the, views of theidrawings by the same reference characters.

The connection consists of the following metallicpipe-sections, joined in the manner substantially as shown-namely, oppositelyextending longitudinal bars 1, an intermediate horizontal section 2, joining the inner ends of. the parts 1, horizontal sections 3 at the outer ends of the members 1, outwardly-extending longitudinal sections 4, branching from the outer extremities of the sections 3, and vertical members 5, leading from the outer ends of the parts 4. The several sectionsor members 2,3, 4, and 5 comprise swivel-couplings 6 of like formation, so as to enable the parts connected thereby to turn and adapt themselves automatically to the direction of strain, whereby the contiguous ends of adjacent cars can bump, move laterally conformable to the roll of the cars, rise and fall according to the vertical movements of the cars, and approach and recede when the'train is making a curve without in the least straining the connection. The lon- I gitudinal members 1 are offset by the intermediate section 2, and the outer horizontal sections 3 extend in opposite directions, thereby enabling the connection to be used in any relativeposition. .The members 1 are of a length to span the space between the cars to be coupled and normally incline, so as to admit of adjustment to allow for the variation in the distance between the cars when the train is in motion. WVhen the train is making or rounding a curve, the swivel-con plings of the vertical sections 5 are brought into play, and when the cars are rolling or swaying from side to side'the couplings of the longitudinal sections 4 operate so as to compensate for the lateral movements, and when the cars are bumping or moving up and down the couplings of the horizontal members 2 and 3 eperate toprevent any strain upon the connection. The sections 2, 3, 4, and 5 are composed of elbows and the members of the swivelcouplings and are comparatively short.

The swivel-couplings being of like formation it is necessary only to illustrate and de-' scribe one in detail. The swivel-coupling consists, essentially, of three parts-the male member '7, the female member 8, and the union or connecting nut 9. The male member is ex ternally threaded at one end to make scre w thread connection with the part to be coupled thereby and is formed near its opposite end with an outer shoulder 10. The end portion 11, projecting beyond the shoulder 10, is beveled or made conical, as shown at 12, and is adapted to obtain a snug bearing against the beveled seat 13 of the female member 8. A washer 14: surrounds the end portion 11 and comes between the shoulder 10 and the end of the member 8 and acts jointly with the parts 12 and 13 to secure a tight joint and prevent the escape of steam or other medium flowing through the connection. The female member 8 is externally threaded at one end to make screw-thread connection with the other part to be joined by the coupling, and the opposite end portion is of greater diametrical extent and is exteriorly threaded, as shown at 15, to enter the nut 9. The enlarged end portion of the member 8 has its bore correspondinglyenlarged, so as to receive the projecting end portion 11 of the member 7, and the shoulder formed at the inner end or base of the enlargement of the bore is beveled, forming the seat 13 for the conical end 12 of the part 11. The nut or union 9 is slipped upon the member 7 and-engages with the shoulder 10 thereof and is adapted to make screw-thread connection with the enlarged end portion of the member 8. In order to prevent binding of the parts of the coupling when properly assembled and adjusted, and, furthermore, to prevent displacement of the nut 9, locking means are provided and cooperate with the nut 9 and a member of the coupling.

An elbow-shaped dog or catch 16 is pivotally connected at the elbow to the face of the nut 9 and is formed at one end with an inwardly-extending nib 17 to engage with one of a series of notches 18 of the thread 15 of the member 8, so as to prevent movement of the nut in either direction. The tail-portion of the dog 16 normally projects beyond the edge or side of the nut 9 and is adapted to be pressed upon so as to withdraw the engaging end 17 out of contact with the notches 18 when it is required to turn the nut either for tightening the coupling or liberating the parts thereof when it is desired to separate the elements of a section joined by the coupling. A spring 19 is provided for foldin the rear portion of the dog 16 outward at its opposite end in engagement with the notches 18. This spring is located beneath the tail portion of the dog and is housed and protected thereby. A portion only of the screw-threads 15 is notched, and this portion is located at the base of the enlarged end of the member 8. The notches are closely related, so as to admit of the nut being turned a slight distance in order to secure a nicety of adjustment. \Vhen turning the nut, the tail portion of the dog 16 is repressed by the thumb or finger of the hand.

The connection being constructed wholly of metallic or pipe sections is practically indestructible as compared with the ordinary hose-pipe connection and can be maintained in working condition at a nominal cost and is easy of manipulation, capable of being folded into a small compass by turning the sections 1 so as to fold upon one another, is not liable to injury when subjected to extreme changes of temperature, and will readily conform to various movements of the cars and answer all the requirements of the common hose-pipe connection without being open to the objections urged against the use thereof.

The washer 14 is fitted in a groove formed in the face of the shoulder 10, hence cannot spread and come in contact with the thread of the nut 9 and prevent the free rotation of the partsof the coupling. This Washer is slightly compressible and to have any efiect must normally extend out from the face of the shoulder.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Ametallic train-pipe connection,consisting of oppositely-disposed longitudinal members connected at their inner ends to swing vertically at their outer ends and normally divergent to admit of said outer ends having an independent in-and-out movement at any relative elevation, horizontal sections composed of swivelly-connected parts projecting laterally from the outer terminals of the longitudinal members, longitudinal sections applied to the extremities of the horizontal sections and formed of swivelly-connected parts, and vertical sections coupled to the longitudinal sections and consisting of swivelly-connected parts, substantially as described.

2. Ametallic train-pipe connection,consistin g of oppositely-disposed longitudinal members arranged out of line and adapted to be normally divergent, a middle and terminal horizontal sections having a parallel relation and composed of swivelly-connected parts, outwardly projecting longitudinal sections formed of parts swivelly joined, vertical sections extending up from the longitudinal sections and consisting of swiveled parts, and couplings for attaching the extremities of the metallic connection to the adjacent ends of contiguous cars, the parts being combined to allow the terminal portions of the connection to rise and fall, advance and recede and to move laterally, substantially as set forth.

3. A swivel-coupling fortrain-pipe sections and the like,consisting of corresponding members, one of the members being externally threaded and formed with a series of notches, the other member having an outer shoulder, a union applied to the shouldered member and making screw-thread connection with the opposite member, and a locking-dog applied to the union and cooperating with the aforesaid notches to secure the union in an adjusted position, substantially as set forth.

4. In a swivel-coupling for train-pipe sections and the like, the combination of a memher having a series of notches in its circumfercntial length,a shouldered mcmber,a union applied to the;shouldered member and makin g screw-thread connection with the opposite member,an approximately elbow-shaped locking-dog applied to the union and adapted to engage with the aforesaid notches, and an actuating-sprin g for said dog concealed and protected thereby, substantially as described.

5. In a swivel-coupling for train-pipe sections and the like, the combination of a female member having an end portion enlarged and exteriorly threaded and having a portion of the screw-threads adjacent to the base of the enlarged portion notched, a male member having an outer shoulder, a union applied to the male member and en gaging with the shoulder thereof and adapted to make screw-thread connection with the enlarged end of the female member, and a locking-dog applied to the union and adapted to engage with the said notched screw-threads to secure the union in an adjusted position, substantially as specified.

6. In a swivel-coupling for train-pipe sections and the like, the combination of a female member having an end portion enlarged and externally screwthreaded, the screwthreads at the base portion of the enlargement being notched, the bore of the enlarged end being of greater diametrical extent than the opening of the body of the member and having a seat at its inner end, a male member having an outer shoulder, and a projecting portion exterior to said shoulder to enter the enlarged end portion of the female member, a nut applied to the shouldered member and adapted to make screw-thread connection with the enlarged end of the female member, and a locking-dog applied to said nut and adapted to engage with the notched screwthreads and secure the nut in an adjusted position, substantially as set forth.

7. In a swivel-coupling for train-pipe sections, a male member having an outer shoulder grooved in its outer face, and having an end portion beyond the said shoulder,afemale member having the bore enlarged to receive the end portion of the male member, a nut connecting the members, and a washer fitted in the groove of the aforesaid shoulder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

" WILLIAM EDWARD DOWNING. [It s] Witnesses:

C. D. MAHONEY, THos. DUNN. 

